Chapter 11
Ember was nervous but excited for the party.
She’d woken up early, as usual, and had gone for her swim.
Her shoulder had healed up nicely and she only felt a twinge now and then.
The lifeguards had been friendly and the few other people she’d seen hadn’t really seemed to look twice at her, which was a nice change of pace.
Then she’d had a bit of time to kill, so she’d made blueberry muffins.
They were from a box, but she wanted to bring something to the get-together with Craig’s friends.
She was anxious. She wanted the other women to like her, though she suspected she’d have to overcome whatever preconceptions they had about Ember Maxwell coming into their inner circle.
She’d be equally wary if the roles had been reversed.
Craig had shown up at nine-fifteen and they’d gone to meet the man who had some secondhand fencing equipment.
It turned out what he had would be perfect, at least for now.
Ember knew she’d need to get some smaller uniforms and more épées, the weapon used in the modern pentathlon, but this would be a good start.
The man used to own a fencing studio, but had retired and was happy to sell her what he had.
Then Craig had stopped by his house and changed and grabbed what seemed like way too much food. When he said he’d take care of getting stuff to bring over, Ember had no idea he’d buy out half the store. Her two dozen muffins sitting in the back of his Durango seemed somewhat pathetic now.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as they were finally on their way to Riley and Oz’s house.
“Nothing.”
“Em, talk to me,” he said firmly.
“I just didn’t realize how much you were going to get. I wouldn’t have bothered to make muffins if I had. They’re kinda pathetic-looking. Lopsided, not all the same size. I’m sure some are probably raw inside. I’ll just leave them in the car and throw them out when I get home.”
“Look at me.”
Ember sighed and looked over at Craig. He looked so damn handsome today, as usual.
He’d put on a pair of knee-length tan cargo shorts, a dark blue T-shirt that brought out the color of his eyes, and had a pair of flip-flops on his feet.
It seemed strange and somehow intimate to see his bare feet.
She’d gotten used to seeing him in combat boots, pants, and long-sleeve shirts.
He seemed impervious to the Texas heat. But seeing him dressed so casually was…
nice. As if he’d let down his guard to show her the real Craig.
“While you weren’t looking, I snuck one of your muffins.
It was delicious, and I’m not just saying that.
Do you think the first time you meet the people I hope you’ll make lifelong relationships with, that I’d let you be embarrassed?
The answer to that is no. So while it’s probably not cool for me to have done it, I stole one of your muffins because one, I was hungry and they looked so good, and two, because I wanted to make sure they tasted all right—but only because you said you hadn’t had a chance to learn to cook. Are you mad?”
“No.” The answer was immediate and heartfelt.
She’d eaten one of the muffins herself, for exactly the same reason he had.
If she’d messed up when adding the ingredients, the last thing she wanted was for someone to spit out her food after tasting it.
She’d be mortified. So no, she wasn’t upset that Craig had been looking out for her.
Had wanted to spare her embarrassment. “Thank you for telling me.”
“No secrets,” he said. Then wrinkled his nose.
“That sounds silly to say with my job, but no secrets when it comes to you and me. If you don’t want to do something I suggest, speak up.
That goes for anything outside the house, as well as in it.
Watching TV, sexual positions, volunteer opportunities, activities on the post… all of it.”
Ember couldn’t help but smirk. “Sexual positions?”
Craig returned her smile. “Yeah, well, you never know, we might have very different ideas of what we like in the bedroom.”
That sobered Ember a little. “What if we aren’t compatible?”
“We are,” Craig said without hesitation.
“You don’t know that,” Ember insisted, not knowing why she was arguing about this.
“Em, no matter what it is you want to do or not do, I’m on board.”
She furrowed her brow. “So if I told you that I’m a Domme and want to take complete control in the bedroom, you’d let me? What if I wanted to tie you up and flog you?”
Craig chuckled. “You aren’t and you don’t.”
“But you don’t know that,” she repeated.
“Em, I do. And I’m not talking about doing anything that would hurt either of us.
If you want to experiment with some light bondage and spanking, I’d be fine with that.
With you tying me up, as well as me tying you up.
If you want to watch sexy movies or porn together, again, I have no problem with that.
Experimenting sexually is exciting. It can be embarrassing and awkward too.
I’m willing to endure that because I know, whatever happens, we’ll be in it together. ”
“I can’t believe we’re talking about this before we’ve seen each other naked,” Ember muttered. She looked over at Craig and saw he was smiling. “What?”
“I just like this,” he said, meeting her gaze for a second before turning his attention back to the road.
“Being open and honest. I’ve never had a relationship like this.
It’s always been a guessing game to try to read my girlfriends’ minds as to what they want, what they’re thinking.
With you…you never leave me guessing. And I’m not afraid to say what I’m thinking or what I want either. ”
It was Ember’s turn to smile. She knew exactly what he meant. She’d spent so much of her life hiding behind a fake smile and never daring to speak her true feelings, being with him was refreshing and so…easy.
“And to bring this conversation full circle…your muffins are fucking delicious. I would’ve snuck more than one but you would’ve noticed.
The people we’re hanging out with today won’t give a shit about a lopsided muffin or even if they’re a little underdone, which they aren’t.
Hell, the girls would probably like them more if there was gooey batter in the middle.
They’re good people, Em, and I know you’re gonna fit right in. ”
“I hope so.”
“I know so,” Craig said firmly.
Ember made a decision right then and there to relax and be herself. She’d spent so much of her life trying to be someone she wasn’t, and she didn’t want to start out her friendships with these women being anything less than genuine.
They pulled into a driveway behind a Jeep Grand Cherokee and a Chevy Blazer. Craig grabbed most of the bags with the food he’d bought and Ember got her plate of muffins. They walked up to the door and before they could knock, it opened.
“Hi!” Logan exclaimed. “Did you bring your camera, Em? Because I thought maybe you could take some pictures of me in my backyard.”
“Logan,” Oz chided, coming up behind his nephew. “That’s rude.”
The little boy looked up at his uncle. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize to me, apologize to Ember.”
“Sorry,” Logan said, dutifully looking up at Ember.
“It’s okay. And for the record, the camera on my phone is pretty darn good. I’d love to take a few pictures of you in the shirt Shin-Soo mailed, so I can send them to him.”
Logan’s eyes got huge in his face. “Seriously? Yes! I need to go change!” Then he pushed past Oz and ran back into the house.
Ember chuckled.
“Sorry about that, he’s a little…enthusiastic when it comes to anything baseball,” Oz said.
“It’s fine. I’m happy to do it, and I know Shin-Soo will get a kick out of the pictures.”
“Don’t just stand there in the doorway,” a woman said from behind Oz, who smiled and moved so he could put his arm around her.
“This is Riley…and Amalia.”
The baby was adorable, as most babies were. “It’s nice to meet you,” Ember said with a smile.
“Same here. I’ve heard a lot about you, and I have to say…you’re even prettier in person,” Riley said.
Then a little girl with red hair and huge hazel eyes came up beside Riley and stared at Ember. She looked to be around seven or eight.
“Hi,” Ember said softly.
Instead of answering, Bria tugged on Riley’s shirt.
The other woman leaned down. “Yeah, sweetie?”
“She looks like Princess Tiana.”
Riley straightened and smiled. “She does, doesn’t she?” she asked the little girl. “Bria, this is Ember, Doc’s friend. Ember, this is Bria. She’s Oz’s niece, my daughter, and now Amalia’s sister.”
Ember had heard the story of how Bria and Logan came to live with Riley and Oz, and she couldn’t help but love the little girl on sight. The fact that she thought Ember was a Disney Princess just endeared her even more.
Oz reached for the plate Ember was holding and she gave it up without a fuss. “We’re still waiting for everyone to get here, but, Bria, maybe you can give Ember a tour of the house?”
“Wanna see my room?” the little girl asked shyly.
“I’d love that,” Ember told her.
She was shocked when Bria moved away from Riley and came toward her to take her hand. The surprised looks on Riley’s and Oz’s faces confirmed this wasn’t something the girl usually did.
“I’ve got a ton of Barbies, maybe we can play.”
“Not now, Bria. Maybe later,” Riley told her gently. “Ember’s here to play with the adults. Carrie’s coming over soon, you can play Barbies with her.”
Bria pouted, and trying to appease the girl, Ember quickly said, “I’d love to see your Barbies before your friend gets here.”